Whites Fusion Drysuit - Choice of Tech skin vs Sport skin?

[quattroluvr]

Hi,
I've narrowed down choice of new drysuit to a Fusion but not sure about pros and cons of the lycra "Sport" vs lycra&neoprene "Tech" skin. Advice?

My guess is that Sport will be more compact for travel, and dry faster. Offer a little less warmth but hardly any difference? and cheaper than Tech by $200. plus if it wears out you can velcro it off and put on a new one in minutes. I think I'm talking myself into the Sport but I'd like to hear some actual experience!

Background: Pacific NW, both sandy and rocky shores dives, or boat dives. Fairly warm-blooded, male, our water is in 40's and 50's F temp. Have good undergarments for this temp and a shell suit. I'm pretty careful and attentive with gear, but a 'seal exit' onto rocks may happen on occasion.

TIA, L.

---------- Post added December 30th, 2013 at 06:02 PM ----------

...oh, there's a definite 'con' on the Sport skin... can't have the pockets. If you BC has pockets, is it a big deal to miss the pockets?
TIA, L.

 

[foglesre]

Just a first impression to offer on my Fusion Sport, which I purchased from Dive Right in Scuba (what can I say, they treated me well).

I'm 6'1" 165lbs with reasonably broad shoulders (I was a swimmer in my youth). In other words, I'm pretty thin. I was really surprised at how snug the suit was putting it on. In particular, stretching the suit up high enough to get the zipper around. And over my shoulders was not easy. Admittedly, I don't have much practice with it, but I cannot imagine how someone on the upper end of both the height and weight scale would fit into it.

So my point is, it's my understanding as you go from Sport to Tech to Bullet, as you get more neoprene and less Lycra, the suit becomes tighter and tighter. This skinny guy is glad he got a Sport, from that perspective...

Bob


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[seattlepaul1975]

I have the tech suit. I love the pockets. That was one if my reasons to go up from the sport

Sent from the deep blue sea.

 

[quattroluvr]

from another board comes this opinion:
ve all 3 skins. The sport skin is easiest to doff and don, allows maximum range of motion, but the stretchy Lycra is not as form fitting as the heavier materials . The sport skin will not accommodate pockets. It dries very quickly .

The tech skin utilizes some of the thin neoprene material making it less stretchy than the Lycra sport skin. It does have pockets and supports them just fine. It takes more effort to put it on and take off. The tech skin is very durable, with the added neoprene in high wear areas. The suit is very form fitting and feels great. It takes a while to dry.

The bullet is aptly named, it is bullet proof and fits very closely. This is the skin I currently use. I love everything about it in the water. Suit gas management is handled by the skin, raise your elbow and the suit vents. Putting the suit on has a slight learning curve,but if you do it like the Whites video,it is not that big a deal. The suit has removable elbow and knee pads, double reinforcing in all wear areas,,and is pretty much a suit of armor. Dries slowly. I hang mine in an unheated shop with a fan on and it takes about 24 hours to dry in the winter.

If you are concerned about hydrodynamics, the bullet gives you the fit of a custom suit with out all the pit falls associated with ordering one.

If you are a smallish person, be careful about ordering the neck ring that allows a quick change neck seal. This can make valve shut downs more difficult for some of us more diminutive divers. I do not have this issue with the ring, but some divers do.
Do not get the soft neoprene boots, get the rock boots, great hiking boots modified for diving, excellent shore diving boots.

I have 3 years of experience with all the forms of the fusion

 

[quattroluvr]

I ended up getting the Tech skin, with the special free oval dry glove system, replaceable seals systems. Thanks for the feedback.
OPoster

 

[Chocolatemonkee]

So quattroluvr, you've had the suit for awhile now. What do you think of the it? I'm thinking of buying the tech skin as the bullet is too tight. Tried them on and loved the flexibility. How is the durability of the suit for you?

 

[YVM]

Anybody knows how much does Fusion Tech weight?

 

[jlovold]

I don´t know any numbers, but it is very light. At least until it is wet...

 

[grf88]

My Fusion Tech 2xl is 7.6 lbs with neck ring and suit side glovelock rings.

 

[Sol]

I have a Fusion Tech which I got used. I've had nothing but good times with it, apart from one popped neck seal. And yeah, I can't picture going without the thigh pockets.

Thing I'm noticing, though, is that the longer I dive with it, the more elasticity the skin loses. In and out of chlorinated pools, cold water, warm rooms ... it's beginning to sag. It's quite possible that the Bullet might stay tight a bit longer, being heavier duty material and all, but yes, it does feel a bit more restrictive. OTOH, I have a buddy who wears one and does his valve drills no problem.

Can only wonder what the KVR must be like.